#region Copyright & License

//
// Copyright 2001-2005 The Apache Software Foundation
//
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
// You may obtain a copy of the License at
//
// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
//
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
// limitations under the License.
//

#endregion

using log4net.Repository;

namespace log4net.Plugin {
  /// <summary>
  /// Interface implemented by logger repository plugins.
  /// </summary>
  /// <remarks>
  /// <para>
  /// Plugins define additional behavior that can be associated
  /// with a <see cref="log4net.Repository.ILoggerRepository"/>.
  /// The <see cref="PluginMap"/> held by the <see cref="log4net.Repository.ILoggerRepository.PluginMap"/>
  /// property is used to store the plugins for a repository.
  /// </para>
  /// <para>
  /// The <c>log4net.Config.PluginAttribute</c> can be used to
  /// attach plugins to repositories created using configuration
  /// attributes.
  /// </para>
  /// </remarks>
  /// <author>Nicko Cadell</author>
  /// <author>Gert Driesen</author>
  public interface IPlugin {
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets the name of the plugin.
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>
    /// The name of the plugin.
    /// </value>
    /// <remarks>
    /// <para>
    /// Plugins are stored in the <see cref="PluginMap"/>
    /// keyed by name. Each plugin instance attached to a
    /// repository must be a unique name.
    /// </para>
    /// </remarks>
    string Name { get; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Attaches the plugin to the specified <see cref="ILoggerRepository"/>.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="repository">The <see cref="ILoggerRepository"/> that this plugin should be attached to.</param>
    /// <remarks>
    /// <para>
    /// A plugin may only be attached to a single repository.
    /// </para>
    /// <para>
    /// This method is called when the plugin is attached to the repository.
    /// </para>
    /// </remarks>
    void Attach(ILoggerRepository repository);

    /// <summary>
    /// Is called when the plugin is to shutdown.
    /// </summary>
    /// <remarks>
    /// <para>
    /// This method is called to notify the plugin that 
    /// it should stop operating and should detach from
    /// the repository.
    /// </para>
    /// </remarks>
    void Shutdown();
  }
}